September Issue of the Dean’s Corner

September 13, 2024

Dear CSSW Community, 

As we start a new academic year, I want to extend a warm welcome to both our new and returning students. I look forward to seeing you around our campus and classrooms, and to saying hello in person.

We begin this school year with a significant leadership transition as Interim President Katrina Armstrong steps into her new role. In her recent letter to our community, Interim President Armstrong acknowledged the impact the last year has had on all of us and discussed the importance of affirming our values and principles in the year to come. 

In that same spirit, it is a meaningful time to uplift the National Association of Social Workers code of ethics, which anchors our values at CSSW. The six core values—service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, the importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence—are critical to the practice of social work. I am hopeful that these values serve as a reminder to help us to be kind to ourselves and to one another, and to foster a community we are proud of. 

As I noted in an earlier communication this summer, I am particularly drawn to the core value of the importance of human relationships – as it provides an entry-point to uphold all the other social work values. It could serve as a reminder to each of us to make it our collective responsibility to nurture and care for this community we have chosen. You can find previous messages from me on our website at socialwork.columbia.edu. 

To kick-off the year, I am happy to highlight some of the awards and recognitions that our faculty and staff received over the past year. These are examples of the exceptional efforts that members of our community make each day to honor the field of social work and make a positive impact in our communities. 

Moving forward, the Dean’s Corner will be sent at the beginning of each month. I wish you the best of luck with the start of classes, and look forward to sharing monthly updates!

In community, 

Melissa